


Buoyancy

by Nestra



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: sga_flashfic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-29
Updated: 2005-03-29
Packaged: 2017-10-02 01:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nestra/pseuds/Nestra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It was beautiful, a perfect economy of motion, and maybe this was why he'd avoided the place, so that he wouldn't have to see this."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Buoyancy

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the sga_flashfic "Swimming" challenge.Thanks to shalott for beta duties.

Everyone had a different theory about the moon pool. The soldiers thought it was purely functional, with its hatch that slid open and allowed access to the sea. Some of the scientists spun wild theories about experiments involving simulated zero-g or bio-engineering; these generally made Rodney want to kick them off his team, except there was nowhere else for them to go and no chance of replacements, so he settled for making fun of their credentials and giving them the crappiest projects he could find.

Sheppard, however, had taken one look at it and declared it an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and although Rodney had pointed out the excessively slim chance that the Ancients had ever participated in the Olympics, the fact didn't bother Sheppard. So once they'd run every conceivable test on it, to make sure the water wasn't poisonous or sentient or liable to cause mutations, the moon pool had become the Atlantis team's mind-controlled Jacuzzi. Everyone who had the Ancient gene raved about it, a swimming pool where you could control temperature, salinity, or density with a mere thought. It even changed shape on command. Those who didn't have the gene sulked and bullied their friends and colleagues into off-hour excursions.

Rodney hadn't actually been back since they'd cleared it for recreational use, but he'd checked the mess hall, the jumper bay, and Sheppard's quarters, so the pool seemed the next most likely place. The doors slid open, and there must have been some part of him that hadn't considered what it would mean to find Sheppard in the moon pool, because he stopped in shock at the sight of Sheppard swimming. He was doing laps, each arm arcing out of the water and slicing back in. It was beautiful, a perfect economy of motion, and maybe this was why he'd avoided the place, so that he wouldn't have to see this.

Sheppard caught sight of him and surfaced with a splash. "Hey. You need something?"

"No. I mean, yeah, but it can wait. I'm trying to convince Elizabeth to open up another area of the city, but she's insisting on getting the military perspective first." He backed up the three steps toward the door, but Sheppard swam up to the edge of the pool nearest him.

"So you weren't actually looking for me," Sheppard said, resting his arms on the lip of the pool. "But you're also not dressed for a swim, so you just wandered in here to stare at the walls?"

"I don't swim."

"You're part of an intergalactic expedition to a place called *Atlantis*, and no one asked if you could swim?" Sheppard's incredulity was tinged with admiration, but Rodney was used to that.

He waved a hand and walked back to look down at Sheppard. "Technically, there was a requirement, but no one actually checked out my dog paddle."

"Why don't you know how to swim?"

"Because I always had better things to do than risk death, that's why."

"Oh," Sheppard said, narrowing his eyes. "Traumatic swim lessons?"

"No," Rodney snapped. "There's no secret shame involving chlorine, cold water, and a speedo. I just never really learned."

"Right," Sheppard said in that way that meant he didn't believe a word you'd just said. "You have to learn."

"I don't have time. I'm a little busy keeping us all alive, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Make time. Someone's gonna get really pissed at you someday and shove you over a railing, and I don't want to have to jump in after you."

"You may have a point," Rodney admitted, after a minute of consideration.

Sheppard splashed a little water at him and snickered as he jumped back. "This pool is probably the safest pool in the entire universe, Rodney. Just stick your feet in."

There was no good reason for him to do it, except Sheppard was right; the city was surrounded by water. His decision had nothing to do with the way that Sheppard's skin shone and flickered under the surface of the pool. He sat on a bench near the wall and slipped his shoes off, then tugged off his socks and tucked them in the shoes, in case Sheppard got any more bright ideas about splashing. The floor was cool under his feet, but not uncomfortable.

"If you pull me in, I'll make sure the gate accidentally misplaces your clothes next time we go through."

Sheppard spread his hands placatingly. "Wouldn't dream of it."

He stepped up to the edge of the pool and bent to roll his pants up to his knees. Lowering himself down to sit, he eased his legs in one at a time, a couple feet away from where Sheppard was still supporting himself on the pool's wall.

"How's the water?" Sheppard asked.

"It's...fine." More than fine. It was perfect. Sheppard had the water at an in-between temperature, warmer than the room but cooler than bath water. Rodney closed his eyes and thought, and felt an air jet behind his legs begin producing bubbles that massaged his feet.

Sheppard drifted lazily over to him. "Told you." And that was...Sheppard's hand on his ankle, his thumb running gently along the arch of Rodney's foot. The water lapped at his calves, but Sheppard pressed his fingers until they were skin to skin, warmer than the water. Sheppard smiled at him, and the late afternoon light coming through the windows reflected off the surface and onto his face, painting patterns there. After a moment, Sheppard pushed away from the wall and swam towards the other end.

Maybe he would learn to swim, if only so he could follow.


End file.
